25 years ago

March 9, 2000

Police at Bude dealt with 69 incidents last week, and a total of 12 crimes were reported.

An employer in Lifton say he has jobs on offer but “no one wants them”. Although there are an estimated 400 registered unemployed people in the Launceston area Manager of Marisen, on Tinhay Industrial Estate, Mike Claire, said he cannot find machinists to work in his clothes manufacturing business even though he offers training from scratch.

Holsworthy’s own millennium dome — Pupils from Holsworthy, built their own state of the art millennium dome at Holsworthy Community College, last Thursday. The imposing structure was built in the college hall, by the college’s Year 7 students, and Holsworthy Primary School pupils. The students included: Steven Anns, Sarah Badham, Richard Beckly, Denis Bowyer, Aaron Bunning, Matthew Cox, Samantha Crossland, Ian Crout, Colleen Dyson, Jessica Ford, Zack Gardener, David Goodman, Hannah Isaac, Chloe Johnson, Katy Lambrechts, Hannah Lomax, Simon Lucas, Jonathan Marsh, Alexander Morris, Michael Murphy, Kyle Neep, Rebecca Parnell, Alistair Pickles, Losa Pocock, Abigail Rogers, Sarah Skinner, Adrian Snowden, Victoria Stagg, Patrick Stoate, Benjamin Watkins, Scott Watson and Lisa Whitworth.

Budehaven Day Nursery is back on site, five months after its premises was destroyed in the school fire. Thanks to the generous response to a refurbishment appeal — kick started by the ‘Post’ — the nursery returns to Budehaven boasting brand new toys and equipment.

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40 years ago

March 9, 1985

To celebrate 75 years of Guiding and Thinking Day, 1st Holsworthy Guides and Brownies rolled back their sleeves for a mass brass and silver clean in aid of Ethiopian Famine Relief Appeal.

Launceston’s first Sinclair C5 owner Rennie Holland took to the road in the midget vehicle last week and was greeted with cheers — and a few jeers. Retired surveyor, Mr Holland of Western Rays, Dunheved Road, Launceston, brought the £420 Sinclair because “it’s a fun car” and he finds it handy for nipping from home to town.

Four men found that two stolen bottles of milk could cause a lotta trouble when they appeared before Launceston magistrates on Monday. One man pleaded guilty to stealing the milk and was fined £70. The three others, who drank the stolen milk in cups of coffee, were each fined £20 after admitting receiving stolen goods.

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50 years ago

March 9, 1975

Mr W Robins, of 1, Leven Cottages, Bude, received the insignia of Serving Brother from the Lord Prior (Lord Caccia) at last week’s Order of St John investiture ceremony in London.

Fred Cumber, aged 67, is the superintendent of Holsworthy’s ancient market on Wednesdays for which he is paid £5 a week but now Torridge Council has placed him on the lowest manual workers’ hourly rate which means he could be worse off.

The Young Foresters Camelford troop quiz team has won through to the county finals. In the team are Mark Sampson (Treknow), Robert Perry (Mount Camel), Wendy and Chris Cohen (Darlington Hotel).

At Launceston YFC St Valentine’s fancy dress dance the winners were: Pairs, Mrs Baker and Mrs Wills as Noddy and Big Ears; singles, Miss Sue Bonnett as a Cutch Girl and John Uglow as Danny la Rue.

Mr A H Scott was presented with a 20-year service medal by Inspector S R Richards at the Auxiliary Coastguards social evening at Boscastle.

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60 years ago

March 13, 1965

Launceston’s next Mayor and Mayoress will be Mr and Mrs J D Rashley, of Pendarvis, Woburn, who will take office in May in succession to Mr and Mrs frank Jordan.

After operating under charter since 1270, Callington cattle market is sadly to be closed.

The Cornwall County Council, it was revealed by St Germans Rural Council, has plans for a £60,000 home at Callington and, if built, would accommodate 48 elderly people with a staff of 16.

There was a large gathering at Callington Grammar School’s speech day on Thursday week. In his first report as headmaster, Mr R Wolsey, reviewed the past year’s successes in GCE examinations at A and O levels. He said the aim was now to increase the school’s output from 3/7 O level passes per student to 4.7.

Members of Black Torrington Parish Council were told by their clerk at last week’s meeting that North Devon Water Board had taken steps to remove sources of danger to children at the reservoir site. A report on the dangerous condition of a footbridge over a stream at the foot of Centernhay is receiving attention.

Tavistock’s new prospective Conservative candidate is 32-year-old publisher Mr Michael Heseltine.

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70 years ago

March 12, 1955

Launceston Rural District Council on Tuesday adopted the recommendation of the finance committee that a district rate of 19s 6d should be levied, with additional items for parish council purposes.

At Friday’s sitting of Camelford Magistrates’ Court, the chairman, Brig Peet, referred to the impending departure of Insp J E Portsmouth, who was making his last appearance at that court. He wished him every happiness in retirement.

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80 years ago

March 10, 1945

Prisoners of war: Cpl Wilfred Knight, of Lifton, and Pte Leslie Uren, of Tower Street, Launceston, both previously reported missing. Wounded in action: Sgt George Hardy (Coldstream Guards), of Southgate Place, Launceston.

Mr W Davey, of Leat Farm, Lifton, was going with a horse and cart to fetch hay from his field at Ashleigh Hill, when the animal bolted, eventually crashing into the bridge over the River Lyd, with the horse hanging, in its harness, over the parapet. Messrs W Ling, C Shersby, S Penny, C Walters and W Reynolds, of the timber camp, and Mr E Williams came along and worked hard to free the choking animal. When released it dropped 15ft into the river, but despite everything was completely unhurt.

At an auction conducted by Messrs J Kittow and Son on Tuesday, Trekennick Farm, Altarnun, 86 acres, was bought by Messrs C Jasper and Son at £2,910.

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90 years ago

March 16, 1935

Opposition to the purchase of a fire engine for the district was again expressed at Thursday’s meeting of Camelford Rural Council. Following an enquiry, the council had already decided to borrow money with which to buy one, but could not do spending provision of a suitable station. Plans to build one in the park, embodying new conveniences, had been prepared, but at Thursday’s meeting Mr Seers protested at the cost of £470. He said the time had come for commonsense and they could not burden the ratepayers with the cost of a fire engine and station. The total cost of £1,200, he considered, was a wicked paste of money. Mr Whitehouse objected to paying a 4d rate for a fire engine for Camelford, and it was eventually agreed to try to rent a garage.

The North Cornwall Divisional Unionist Women’s Association has decided to engage a woman missioner from the Central Office “to stir up the outlying districts for the cause”.

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100 years ago

March 14, 1925

Electric light is being installed at Bridestowe by Mr J H Worden. Several private houses are being fitted out.

Holsworthy Grammar School, boarding and day school for boys and girls. Principal: Mr W J Whiteman (London University), Holsworthy is “the healthiest town in Devonshire” (see MOH’s report for 1914) — (Advt).

The popular secretary, Captain R H Hall, of St Breward, sustained a broken collar bone and wrist while riding at the North Cornwall point-to-point meeting at Camelford Station on Thursday.